


Two Way Mirror

by Anonymous



Category: South Park
Genre: Episode: s19e06 Tweek x Craig, Gossip, M/M, Misunderstandings, Past Infidelity, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-01-05 11:37:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18365225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: South Park may have tempered its affection for Craig and Tweek but that does not mean it has forgotten them through out the years.Or the one where South Park remembers “Michael” and how they view the relationship.





	1. 1 Year Post-Michael

Laura Tucker stared at her son through the kitchen window. In the backyard, Craig and Tweek were playing with swords made of cardboard. A half erected tower stood behind them, they had crafted that a few days ago out but had given up when a snowfall weighed down the structure.

She had to admit she hadn’t given much thought beyond her son’s sexuality beyond moving to accept it and the relationship that came with it. Tweek Tweak was an odd boy but she made her son happy so she liked him for that alone. She had wished she had known how her son and Tweek had done some things like discover they liked each other but prying something out of either boy would be like grasping coal to turn it into diamond. 

The most she had acted in giving her son advice was when Tweek and Craig ‘broke up’ during a superhero game but they had gone back together due to the New Kid in their class. 

Something began to stir in the town gossip as the boys’ anniversary came up after their first break up. She heard the whispers behind her back but never the clear item. 

Laura was on her way back home on a Friday when she realized she left some paperwork at the till. Nothing major but she didn’t want to worry about it getting scolded for leaving a messy work area. She went to her till and picked up the forms. Of course she dropped them. 

She started to pick them up when she heard a pair of her coworkers pass by the front of the counter. She was about to announce herself when she heard them talking. 

“Did they ever figure out who Michael is?” Corinne asked. 

“No, my little Susie said the girls at her school did some research but they couldn’t pinpoint who Michael is.”

“It’s such a common name.”

“It so hard to be gay in today’s world and they’re so young but at least they seem happy.”

“For now. I mean why else would Craig have cheated on Tweek?” Laura frowned. That didn’t sound at all right. Creek loved Tweek, well as much as a ten year old could to another ten year old. 

“Maybe because they had to stay closeted?” the conversation faded as they headed out. Laura waited a moment, gathered her papers and went home. 

At dinner she had said nothing. Craig was bored and eating dinner without adding much to the evening conversation. 

Now she watched her son succumb to a rather painful looking thwap from the cardboard sword wielded by her son’s boyfriend. The theatrical death was met with the shrill laughter of a child who enjoyed the show.

A child who was initially a secret boyfriend. Maybe she was thinking too much about this. Craig and Tweek were ten. She’d heard that they’d been dating ‘for a while’ in secret. However long that was, since 9? Just a month? 

Maybe her son’s ‘cheating’ was from his initial discovering of his sexuality and unable to express it properly. She’d seen her boy comment on the attractiveness of women and in a ways that were a bit too sexual but never in regards to something he’d do. Maybe the influence of that kind of propaganda had warped his view of what was appropriate to dating. 

Maybe, maybe, maybe. 

Her son was not a cheater. Right?

Craig got up from the death bed and looked at her. She smiled and waved. Tweek waved back. Their boys’ hands linked a moment later and they went to the half fallen tower. 

She’d make sure to keep an eye on him, be more supportive. Even if Tweek and Craig didn’t end up together forever she’d make sure they had appropriate boundaries and ways to express their frustration, and even separation.

She’d also make sure to look out for boys named Michael. 

Her son’s other secret boyfriend and (hopefully) now ex.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Mr. Testaburger doesn't have an official name but I've decided to call him John for the purposes of the chapter.

Thomas was on his way to the check out when his phone notified him of a text. He took out the phone. Craig had sent him a text. 

Thomas snorted at the texted request. The boy was getting a bit out of hand for his and Tweek’s anniversary. Still he’d pick up the damn chocolate. He steered his full cart of groceries and other sundries to the chocolate aisle. 

Wall Mart might not be everyone’s cup of tea but at least he could pick up most everyday things they needed or impulsively wanted to buy as part of an anniversary gift. As he made his way he reviewed his groceries, seemed like he’d gotten everything on the list. He’d even found some of Laura’s favorite drinks on sale. 

As he turned the corner into the aisle his cart crashed into another parked cart at the edge of the aisle. 

“Shoot.” He glanced up and saw the cart’s owner midway down glance at the merchandise. John Testaburger shot him an annoyed look before turning back to his browsing. Thomas thought, maybe he shouldn’t have set it right at the edge. His placed his own cart a few feet down and to the side. Out of the way. 

Thomas started hunting for the exact variant his son wanted. If he didn’t find it he’d get something similar enough. Thomas grunted when someone jostled him after a moment into his search. He turned and saw John looking at him sheepishly. 

“Sorry, Thomas.”

“It’s fine. You seem distracted. Looking for something specific too?”

“Yeah, it’s Wendy’s and her mom’s time of the month. If I don’t get the right kind then I’ll have my head bitten off.” Thomas offered him a sympathetic glance.

“Tricia is too young for that still. Laura’s aren’t too bad luckily but she’s had it bad a few times. Usually she’s okay though.”

“Not for them unfortunately so I’m playing errand boy.” John replied with the man who had seen his wife and daughter suffer for something out of their control but still tried to help. “How about you?”

“Craig wants a chocolate to give to Tweek as part of their anniversary gift.” Thomas huffed. “You’d think they’d gotten married by how much effort Craig puts into the thing.”

“Part of me wonders if he feels guilty or something.” John said absentmindedly as he looked at the chocolates again. “Or he could just be very earnest.” He shook his head. “Young love.” He said whimsically. 

Thomas frowned. “What do you mean guilty?” 

“Oh, you know, his cheating.” John said like it was the weather. 

“My son isn’t a cheater.” Thomas said defensively now offended on Craig’s behalf. John raised a brow at him. 

“I’m not saying he’s cheating now.” John retorted. “But their coming out involved his and Tweek’s rather public break up. Tweek aired out their dirty laundry to the whole school. It wasn’t always chocolate and anniversaries.” John sniffed. “Wendy had to console Tweek. My girl isn’t a liar.” The underscore of ‘unlike yours’ was clear. 

Thomas glared. “I don’t believe you. I know my son. He is loyal and has been loyal to Tweek during their entire relationship.”

“You didn’t know?” John looked surprised. “I’m sorry you learned about it like this. You can ask almost anyone, Thomas. It’s not a secret.” 

Thomas turned, grabbed his cart and left the aisle. Mood fouled, chocolate the least of his concerns. He paid for his groceries and drove home. When he got home was greeted by his son.

“Did you get the chocolate?”

“They didn’t any.”

“Their website said they did.” Craig said, suspicious. 

“Well I looked. They didn’t have any out. You think I didn’t look.” He lifted a full bag he had with some of their groceries. Craig frowned but shook his head. 

“Lame. Maybe I can get some online for Tweek.”

“You’ll have to pay for that yourself.” Craig nodded. “Get the rest of the groceries.” Craig nodded again and went to get the remaining bags. Thomas placed his one bag in the kitchen. He saw Laura glancing at him curiously. Able to tell he was in a very different mood from when he’d left.

He shook his head at her as Craig came in with a few bags. The boy hefted them to where Thomas had set the other bag.

“Craig,” Craig turned to him. “You and Tweek…” He didn’t want to ask even as he wondered. 

“What?” Craig’s eyes narrowed. 

“You two are still going to the movies?”

“Yeah, Tweek wants to see a movie that’s playing. I think it looks dumb but whatever.” He shrugged. Thomas nodded. “Why?”

“Just checking in case you needed to be dropped off or picked up somewhere else. I have things to do too.” Craig nodded. 

“We haven’t changed plans. “

“Okay.”

“I’m going to help your dad put things away.” Laura said. “Go look for Tweek’s chocolate, Craig. Dinner will be in about an hour.” Craig left to his room.

“Is everything okay, Thomas?” Laura asked. Thomas frowned and shook his head. He wanted to talk to her but was afraid Tricia and Craig may interrupt or overhear.

“I’ll talk to you later.” He said and helped his wife prepare dinner. Their dinner came and went and before he knew it the kids were in bed. The adults were taking coffee in the kitchen.

“Are you ready to talk about what was bothering you?” Laura asked. Thomas could’ve kissed her for it. She didn’t pry. Thomas nodded. “What is it, Thomas?”

“I did look for chocolate like Craig asked but then I ran into John Testaburger. We started talking. He mentioned that Craig was a cheater. It completely pissed me off. Our boy isn’t a cheater.” Thomas saw Laura frown. “Honey?”

“I heard something similar last year. Something about a boy named Michael.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I don’t want to believe it. I didn’t. We made mistakes raising our kids like everyone but I think we have good kids. I don’t think we raised a cheat. He’s also ten. I don’t know if he even understood what he could’ve been doing was cheating.”

“He’s old enough to know if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend then you stay loyal to them.” Thomas countered now feeling disappointed. He felt a kind of disappointment that was similar to when they learned Craig was gay only it seemed justified this time.

“I think he was still figuring out his sexuality, Thomas. I don’t think he did anything on purpose. We know Craig. I don’t think he’s a cheater either.” He sighed. Their coffee was good and something they’d taken up after interacting with the Tweaks over the past two years.

“Do you know anything about this Michael?” He asked after a moment. 

“No. I even checked his phone a few times. He’s texts and calls only Tweek, texts a lot of his friends. That’s it. There’s no Michaels anywhere. He sends Tweek a lot of photos of Stripe.” Thomas smiled a bit at that. 

“We should talk to him about it..”

“It’s been two years. Let it lie in the past. It’s going to ruin their upcoming date.”

“Then we should speak to him about his relationship and mention it.” He sighed. “We probably should anyways. He’s getting old enough for the Talk. It’s not just sex people talk about during that.”

“See that’s a good idea. We can talk about relationships and staying faithful while you’re in one.” She smiled at him. 

Thomas nodded. The drank in silence. 

As his cup grew emptier he felt his stomach churn. He was projecting a bit. He had failed his son. He knew he had. He didn’t want Craig to follow his footsteps. Cheat against his own blond haired partner. Maybe he had projected his own infidelities against his wife subconsciously and Craig had picked up on it. 

He closed his eyes and took a breath. He had been a better father by accepting his son. It was what you were supposed to do. 

He needed to be a better husband. Staying faithful was what you were supposed to do. The coffee taste foul as he finished his cup. 

“Hon-Laura, I have to tell you something.” 

When Craig woke up the following morning he found his mom in the kitchen crying. Tricia stood by the doorway looking confused and frightened. He took her back to her room and looked for his dad. 

He realized his dad wasn’t home and some of his clothes were gone.


	3. Chapter 3

“Can I have that?” Tweek asked Craig. Stan looked over. Craig glared in response. Stan glared back. Tweek pouted. “Come on, Craig. You said you’d share. You know I didn’t get to go trick or treating.” It was mostly for effect, he thought, the blond didn’t look nervous. 

Craig shook his head and shoved the candy in his mouth. Tweek looked surprised. Stan was too. Craig and Tweek were usually good with sharing with each other unprompted (and setting unreasonable goals for everyone in a relationship in middle school.)

“You got your own, honey.” Craig said. Tweek huffed. 

“I didn’t go trick or treating.” He whined. Craig’s passive expression didn’t change before he reached into his backpack and gave Tweek a ghoulish bag practically bursting with candy. Tweek brightened and opened grinned. “Ah, Craig! Thank you!” He kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. Stan rolled his eyes. 

If the bus wasn’t oddly empty today and if his phone hadn’t failed to charge overnight he might not even notice the interaction. As it was it made him feel a bit inadequate as a boyfriend to Wendy and wondering if he should’ve gone trick or treating. He felt both too old for it and wanting to do it. 

After a moment he remembered Craig had a younger sister. That probably the reason Craig had such an array of candy

“No problem, honey. Now eat your candy.” Tweek grabbed some chocolate and went to town on it. “You’re lucky you didn’t come honey. Tricia and her friends all did nothing but talk about Disney and boys.”

“The girls in our grade always talk about boys too.”

“I only tolerate Testaburger’s birthday invitation because her mom makes the best cake.”

“Jesus, I want some now. Mrs. Testaburger didn’t want to give me the recipe. My cakes aren’t as good.”

“I know. Once have her recipe or a better one we eat them when we want.” Tweek snorted. 

“You know my Dad would just make me bake them for the shop.”

“We’ll lie and say it’s going to be the flavor for our wedding cake. He’d keep it a secret then.”

“Did I miss your proposal?” Craig smirked. 

“No, but if we do get married we’re not sharing out best cake. The guests can have lemon cake.”

“They’re getting cupcakes. Clyde would just eat it all otherwise.”

“He’s not invited then. I want a kick ass tower cake.”

“I’m not making that. Not for my wedding.” Tweek answered and shoved another piece of candy into his mouth. 

“Not even for me?” Tweek laughed.

“No. What are you making for our wedding that’s a pain in the ass?”

“Hmm. Okay that’s fair.” Craig said with a sigh. “I’ll start a pinterest board then of “Cakes my boyfriend won’t bake”.”

“You don’t even use Pinterest.”

“I could.”

“That’s gay.”

“You’re gay.” The two started laughing. God, Stan missed his phone. He zoned out for a bit until a bump in the road had his head colliding with the window. Damn it. 

“..okay?” He heard Tweek whisper. He was about to ignore them again when Craig replied in a less than flat tone. 

“Yeah. Mom is doing fine. She and Dad have been going on dates recently….” He missed part of the quiet conversation. “...talked about him moving back in.”

“You’re not alone, if you want to talk. You have me and the guys.”

“I know, honey. It’s just a lot since Dad left and came back…..He’s been trying though to be a better dad and to my mom.”

“He shouldn’t of cheated on her. That wasn’t right.” Tweek said strongly. 

“Tricia still doesn’t know why he left. I don’t want to tell her.”

“Don’t. You only overheard it.” They murmured again.

“Is it messed up if I’m glad he’s back with my mom?” Craig sounded guilty and hopeful.

“No. You love both of them and they love each other even if you’re dad messed up big time.”

“You’re lucky with parents in some ways. They’re the same sort of fucked up.” 

“Yeah. I don’t think they’d be happy with anyone else either.” Tweek noted. 

Their conversation lowered a bit more and he couldn’t hear. He shook his head to clear out his brain fog as they arrived to his stop. The bus was basically empty, he’d been the closest to Tweek and Craig. They probably thought he couldn’t hear them. He wasn’t going to say anything. He knew what it was like to have a fucked up dad. 

He didn’t look at them as he exited, he thinks it’d have given it away. When he entered he found the house thankfully empty. He made a snack and headed to his room. Kyle would be coming over later to pick up his homework. He’d had a doctor’s appointment. 

He decided to walk Sparky before his friend came over. The old dog would enjoy the weather today it wasn’t too cold. Sparky lugged himself excitedly out, steps slower now but still sure as he walked down the streets. When he came back he scowled at his dad’s car in the driveway. God knows how long it was going to be until he started drinking. 

He let Sparky in after cleaning his paw. The dog happily went to his dog bed and plopped down with a satisfied groan. Stan smiled. It was good to see Sparky happy. There were days the dog definitely get enough attention.

His dad didn’t call out to him or anything. Stan went to his room. It was another hour before his doorbell rang. A text let him know it was Kyle. He went downstairs before his dad could embarrass him.

“Hey dude.” Stan greeted. Kyle smiled at him. 

“Hey. How was school?”

“Lame.” they went to his room. “You didn’t miss anything. We barely covered anything new. Maybe just like in history. We reviewed the same chapter in English again but discussed imagery this time instead of themes. I got you a copy of Token’s notes on it. He was cool with it because you weren’t there.”

“Token really?”

“Yeah, if it wasn’t for you I don’t think he’d have given it to me.” 

“Cool. I won’t need to read the chapter myself.”

“I’m not that bad at English, dude.” Stan replied. 

“You are when you think everything is shit.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. I’ve been doing okay.”

“You taking your antidepressants?” Kyle asked seriously 

“Yeah, dude. I don’t need to be reminded. I don’t nag you to test your blood sugar all the time.”

“I had diabetes forever, dude. You barely had your medicine a year.”

“I know, I know you worry.” Stan sighed. “They really help. I mean Dad still sucks and Mom isn’t happy but at least EVERYTHING isn’t shit. I can enjoy music again. I’m walking Sparky again too.”

“So take them.” Kyle repeated. 

“I do. I got an alarm on my phone and everything.” 

“Good. I hate hating hanging out with you.” Stan smiled. 

“It’s either that or drinking.”

“Don’t be your dad.”

“I don’t want to.” something nagged at him. 

“You want to play X box or something? My mom said I could hang for a bit.”

“Cool.” They played for a while until Kyle had to eat a snack. “I love Halloween. I can steal so much of Ike’s candy and Mom doesn’t get mad at me.” 

“I think Shelly thought the same thing only she threatened me to keep quiet. “

“Oh. That sucks.”

“You’re not going to stop.”

“Nope.”

“Sometimes I wish I was the big brother instead of the younger one.” He complained. “At least you don’t hate Ike like Shelly hates me.”

“Shelly hates everyone.” 

“Not her boyfriend.”

“Almost everyone.” Kyle laughed. “She could be overprotective like my mom.”

“Is the middle ground too much to ask? A sister who hates me enough to not be too nosy and who loves me instead of wanting to set me on fire.”

“That was once.”

“You’re just making an excuse because you used to play ‘kick the baby’. I’m onto you dude.”

“Oh yeah. That was awesome.” He went back to nibbling on the starburst he’d stolen from Ike.

“Craig’s probably the only one among us who doesn’t abuse his sister.” Stan sighed dramatically and stole a candy from Kyle who shot him a playful glare.

“Why’d you bring Craig into this?”

“Oh just saw him today. Heard him take his sister out for Halloween.” He said. “Oh. Dude. I heard that something today you won’t believe. Mr. Tucker cheated on Mrs. Tucker. Craig and Tweek were talking about it.”

“That’s messed up. Like father like son you know.” Kyle commented. 

“Huh?” Kyle raised an eyebrow. 

“Dude it’s why we all know they’re gay.”

“What? Oh. Oh! I didn’t think about that. You don’t seem surprised about it.”

“My mom says once a cheater, always a cheater. That and she and Mrs. Tucker have been hanging out. Mom can be loud. Mrs. Tucker talked about Craig too. She’s worried he took after his dad.”

 

“That’s still messed up. My dad’s a drunk, a loser, and Lorde but at least he never cheated on my mom.” 

“Yeah. Like I get addiction is a problem but you can control keeping it in your pants.” 

“Yeah.” Stan shook his head. “Makes me feel a bit better about my dad, which is saying something.” 

“I still think Mr. Tucker is probably a better dad to his kids than ours are to us.”

 

“I didn’t say it made me feel better by a lot.” Kyle laughed. 

“Whatever, dude. Let’s finish this level. I gotta go home soon or else my mom’s going to start calling soon.”


End file.
